The snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) is a mammal of North America specialized for life in cold, snowy environments. It is known for its particularly large, well-furred hind feet. The common name “snowshoe” references these oversized feet, which function much like the winter gear used by humans, allowing the hare to navigate deep snow.
North American Distribution
The snowshoe hare maintains a range that spans the majority of North America’s subarctic and boreal zones. The distribution covers nearly all of Canada, extending into the contiguous United States. This range reaches northward to the Arctic Ocean and extends southward along major mountain ranges.
In the eastern United States, populations follow the Appalachian Mountains, reaching as far south as North Carolina and Tennessee. Westward, the hare’s range extends along the Rocky and Cascade mountains, with southern populations found in New Mexico, Utah, and central California. In the northern United States, the snowshoe hare is a common resident of the forests in New England, Minnesota, Michigan, and Montana. These southern populations are often restricted to cooler, higher elevations and coniferous forests.
Preferred Ecosystems and Cover Needs
The snowshoe hare seeks out habitats that provide dense protection from predators and the elements. The species is associated with boreal forests, upper montane forests, and wetlands, preferring young forests with abundant understory. This preference for dense vegetation is the most significant factor determining habitat quality, even more so than the availability of food.
The hare depends on thick, brushy understories, which typically include dense coniferous or mixed woods, shrub-swamps, and bogs. This dense cover is used for both thermal protection and as an escape mechanism. Hares are often found in the densest cover during the day, where they rest in shallow depressions scraped out under thickets or fallen timber.
Adaptations for Seasonal Survival
The snowshoe hare possesses two adaptations that allow it to thrive in its snowy environment. The first is the morphology of its hind feet, which are noticeably large with extra fur and toes that can spread out. This structure significantly increases the surface area of the foot, allowing the hare to distribute its weight and effectively move across soft, deep snow without sinking, functioning as natural snowshoes. The thick fur on the soles also offers insulation against the cold.
The second adaptation is the seasonal change in coat color, which earns the hare its other common name, the “varying hare.” In summer, the fur is a rusty or reddish-brown color, providing camouflage against the forest floor. As daylight hours shorten in the fall, a molt is triggered, causing the fur to gradually change to a thick, insulating white. This white winter coat offers cryptic camouflage against the snow. The entire molting process, driven by the change in light exposure, can take between 70 to 90 days to complete.